Worldwide Surge Could Increase Africa’s Biofuel Market

The demand for biofuels is increasing as many countries are imposing regulations that will force others to get onboard. The European Union will require that all transportation fuels will contain a 10% biofuel component beginning next year. China will add 15% of biofuels into its diesel and petrol.

And many are looking into jatropha as the most commercially viable biofuel feedstock, including African nations. The crop has the ability to yield oil for up to 40 years, making it a viable option for Africa. Sun Biofuels business development director Harry Stourton said, “It presents a massive opportunity for investment, employment and development for developing countries such as Mozambique. They have the capacity to become major suppliers to this fast-evolving industry.”

With just 14 months after planting its first jatropha curcas, Sun Biofuels has extracted jatropha oil from its first yield of seeds in Mozambique. The company had negotiated 5,000 hectares of land for jatropha plantations in Mozambique and 8,000 hectares in Tanzania in 2006 (Sun Biofuels Extracts First Jatropha Oil).

And as more guidelines are set to incorporate biofuel blends, Stourton said jatropha could really help the industry take off. He said that international airlines are set to join the emissions trading scheme in 2012 and if airlines do not comply, strict penalties will be enforced. The European Union has even allotted that blends must be implemented by 2012 and by 2020, airlines will be unable to land at any EU airport without the proper mixture.

This year, Lufthansa has sent a delegation to Sun Biofuels’ Mozambique project to look for a viable solution to reach its goal of becoming the first airline to operate a daily flight between Hamburg and Frankfurt on a 50% biojet fuel blend.

Alternative Energy Africa’s July/August issue will have a special feature on one biofuel project getting underway in Egypt. Subscribe today to make sure you get your copy to learn more about biofuels tackling the aviation industry.

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